Judgment – Liability

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: Sarah M. Steffek, et al. v. Client Services, Inc., et al.,

Case No.: 19-1491

Officials: FLAUM, HAMILTON, and BARRETT, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Judgment – Liability

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq., requires the collector of a consumer debt to send the consumer-debtor a written notice containing, among other information, “the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed.” § 1692g(a)(2). Plaintiffs Sarah Steffek and Jill Vandenwyngaard received form notices from defendant Client Services, Inc. subject to this requirement. On each, a header stated only “RE: CHASE BANK USA, N.A.” with an account number, and the letters continued: “The above account has been placed with our organization for collections.” The letters did not say whether Chase Bank still owned the accounts in question or instead had sold the debts to another entity. Steffek and Vandenwyngaard sued Client Services for violating § 1692g(a)(2), arguing that these letters failed to identify clearly the current holder of the debt.

The district court certified a plaintiff class of Wisconsin debtors who received substantially identical notices from Client Services. The court then found that undisputed facts showed that Chase Bank was actually the current creditor and granted summary judgment to Client Services. Steffek v. Client Servs., Inc., No. 1:18-cv-00160-WCG, 2019 WL 1126079, at *5 (E.D. Wis. Mar. 12, 2019). The actual identity of the current creditor, however, does not control the result. Regardless of who then owned the debts, the question under the statute is whether the letters identified the then-current creditor clearly enough that an unsophisticated consumer could identify it without guesswork. See Janetos v. Fulton Friedman & Gullace, LLP, 825 F.3d 317, 321 (7th Cir. 2016). Undisputed facts show that the notices here failed that test. We therefore reverse and remand for entry of summary judgment in the plaintiffs’ favor as to liability.

Reversed and remanded

Derek A Hawkins is trademark corporate counsel for Harley-Davidson. Hawkins oversees the prosecution and maintenance of the Harley-Davidson’s international trademark portfolio in emerging markets.